1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile terminal such as a DMB phone, a game phone, a chatting phone, a camera phone, a MP3 phone, a cellular phone, a PCS, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), and a HHP (Hand Held Phone). More particularly, the present invention relates to a cradling mechanism for a mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Originally, mobile terminals were intended to enable users to communicate with others through radio communications. Recently, however, they have been developed to accommodate various requirements for multimedia and internet environments, in addition to basic voice communication. Further, mobile terminals have become more compact, lighter, and slimmer. Conventional mobile terminals may be classified as bar-types, flip-types, or folder-types according to the structure of their external housing. A bar-type terminal has a single bar-like housing, a flip-type terminal has a flip which is hinged to a bar-like housing, and a folder-type terminal has a folder which is hinged to a bar-like housing. Mobile terminals may also be classified as neck wearable type terminals (which are worn around the neck) or wrist wearable type terminals (which are worn around the wrist). In addition, mobile terminals may be classified as rotation-type or sliding-type terminals. A rotation-type terminal consists of two housing parts that may be turned relative to each other for opening or closing while maintaining the face-to-face contacting relationship of the housing parts. A sliding-type terminal consists of two housing parts that may be slid longitudinally relative to each other for opening or closing. Finally, mobile terminals have been developed to exchange large amounts of data at high speed.
Conventional mobile terminals have various drawbacks. For example, if the user wishes to watch the display of a mobile terminal that is resting on a table, it is desirable to have an additional support for supporting the mobile terminal in a slanted position to improve the viewing angle. Moreover, when a user wishes to enjoy a moving picture displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal that is resting on a table, he must be satisfied both visually and acoustically. In this case, it is important to support the mobile terminal in a slanted position because both visual and acoustic effects are most effective in that position.
Typically, the battery charger of a mobile terminal has served as a cradle for supporting the mobile terminal on a table in a slanted position during the charging process. However, the battery charger is too cumbersome for the user to carry to use it as a cradle outside of home.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved mobile terminal with a cradle for supporting the mobile terminal in a slanted (e.g., inclined) position.